In cassette loading apparatuses of the pop-up type, inserting a cassette into a cassette container that is in a pop-up state and applying a downward force to the cassette container brings the cassette into driving relation with a driver disposed under the cassette. This allows the driver to turn a recording medium contained in the cassette during playback or record operational modes.
The cassette loading apparatuses of the above type may be divided into two design categories. A first design category is for exclusive use of a standard sized cassette and a second design category is for wide use not only of the standard sized cassette but also of cassettes of other sizes.
In the cassette loading apparatus that is designed for wide use of standard and other size cassettes, inserting a cassette into a cassette container activates a cassette detecting sensor. This sensor detects the insertion of the cassette and the size thereof, causing a driver positioning mechanism to automatically adjust the position of the driver to the position of a follower on the cassette.
After completion of the adjustment, pressing down the cassette container brings the follower on the cassette into driving relation with the driver. in the cassette loading apparatus that is designed for exclusive use of the standard size cassette, a driver is held stationary and cassettes that may be used are limited to one size. Thus, even if the cassette loading apparatus is disconnected from a source of power, inserting a cassette of the standard size into a cassette container and pressing down the cassette container will bring a follower on the cassette into driving relation with a driver without any operation to adjust the driver with respect to the follower. In other words, there is no potential problem that inappropriate alignment of the follower with the driver might damage the cassette and/or driver.
The cassette loading apparatus designed for is wide use of standard and other size cassettes, has a potential problems because the driver can move for adjustment to a cassette of the size different from the standard size, Let us now consider the case where the driver positioning mechanism is not ready for action because of disconnection of the loading apparatus from the source of power. Under this condition, if, with the driver adjusted to the standard size cassette, a cassette of different size is inserted into the cassette container, manually pressing down the cassette container will bring the cassette into contact with the driver that is not aligned with the cassette. This interference may bring about damage to the cassette or driver.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned potential problem in the cassette loading apparatuses that are designed for wide use of standard and other size cassettes.